IV. Problem solving

1. Read the text expounding certain rights and duties of the Russian President. Choose three or four and illustrate them using current activity of the Head of the State.

e.g. The President has the right to chair meetings of the Government of Russia. On (date) of (month) our President chaired the meeting of the Government. The following urgent questions were discussed: …

• The President is the guarantor of the Constitution of Russia and of human and civil rights and freedoms. In accordance with the Constitution, he (she) adopts measures to protect the sovereignty of Russia, its independence and state integrity, and ensures the coordinated functioning and interaction of State government bodies;

• the President determines the basic objectives of the internal and foreign policy of the State;

• as the Head of State, represents Russia within the country and in international relations;

• appoints, with the consent of the State Duma, the Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation;

• has the right to chair meetings of the Government of Russia;

• adopts decisions on the resignation of the Government of the Russian Federation;

• nominates a candidate for appointment to the post of Chairman of the Central Bank; raises before the State Duma the issue of relieving the Chairman of the Central Bank of his post;

• presents to the Council of Federation candidates for the posts of judges of the Constitutional Court, the Supreme Court, the Supreme Arbitration Court, and a candidate for the post of the Prosecutor General; submits to the Council of Federation proposals to dismiss the Prosecutor General; and appoints judges of other federal courts;

• forms and heads the Security Council of the Russian Federation;

• approves the military doctrine of the Russian Federation;

• forms the Administration of the President;

• announces elections to the State Duma in accordance with the Constitution of the Russian Federation and federal law;

• dissolves the State Duma in the cases and in accordance with the procedure provided for by the Constitution of the Russian Federation;

• announces referendums in accordance with the procedure established by federal constitutional law;

• submits draft laws to the State Duma;

• signs and promulgates federal laws;

• addresses the Federal Assembly with annual messages on the situation in the country and on the basic objectives of the internal and foreign policy of the State;

• directs the foreign policy of the Russian Federation;

• holds negotiations and signs international treaties;

• signs instruments of ratification;

• decides on issues of citizenship of the Russian Federation and of granting political asylum;

• bestows State awards of the Russian Federation and confers honorary titles of the Russian Federation and supreme military and supreme special titles;

• in the event of aggression against the Russian Federation or of an imminent threat of aggression, the President enacts martial law on the territory of the Russian Federation or on certain parts thereof and shall immediately inform the Council of Federation and the State Duma of this.

LISTENING